ew fields. Nature is exceedingly erratic and economical in
providing places favorable for mineral production; in a producing
district the geologic conditions have been proved to be right, and the
explorer starts here with this general pragmatic advantage. The explorer
here has another great advantage, that much essential information has
been gathered which can be built into his plan of operations. He can
start, scientifically and practically, where the other man left off. One
of the best-known economic geologists has maintained that the more
previous work done, the better, because it furnished him more tools to
work with. There is no such thing as "skimming the cream" from a
geologic problem; there is no end in sight in the search for more
knowledge.

This attitude toward the problem of exploration has also proved
advantageous on the business or financial side. A successful backer of
mineral enterprises once remarked that his best prospecting was done
from the rear platform of a private car,--meaning that this mode of
transportation had carried him to the center of important mining
activities, where the chances for large financial success showed a
better percentage than in more general and miscellaneous exploration.

THE USE OF ALL AVAILABLE INFORMATION

Effective scientific exploration requires the use of all available
information applying to the specific area. This might seem to be too
obvious to require mention, yet observance of the methods of explorers
seems to call for warning against the rather common tendency to go into
a field unprepared with a thorough knowledge of preceding work. It is
easy to forget or overlook some investigation made many years
previously; or to assume that such work is out of date, and of no
special consequence in the application of new thought and method which
is the basis of the faith and confidence of each new geologic explorer.
A study of the reports on an old camp shows how often the younger
generations have ignored the results of the older. Many of the same
elementary truths are rediscovered by successive generations, after
large efforts which could have been saved by means of proper care and
investigation of the previous literature and mapping.

In outlying parts of the world, the existing information bearing on
exploration may be at a minimum. In many of the older mining camps and
throughout most civilized countries, however, careful investigation will
usually disclose a cons